Hardy won two races — the boys 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs — at the Maryland Class 2A West Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Hagerstown Community College. Williamsport — Washington County’s only Class 2A school — had no other top-three finishers, male or female, in any other events.

“You don’t get many kids like him,” Weaver said, “with his dedication and hard work and talent.”

After winning the 1,600 by a seemingly comfortable, 3 1/2-second margin in 4:28.23, Hardy returned to the track to take first in the 3,200 in 9:49.10.

While Hardy hasn’t finished second to anyone at either distance in any meet, indoors or outdoors, since his sophomore year, he might be the first one to place an asterisk next to his 3,200 victory Saturday.

Carvalho, who didn’t run the 1,600, pulled away from Hardy in the second half of the 3,200 and crossed the finish line first in 9:34.28. However, Hardy was credited with the victory after Carvalho was disqualified for a lane infraction.

But in Hardy’s mind at least, his winning streak in the 3,200 had come to an end.

“I just couldn’t stick with him,” he said. “Call it what you want, but we still know what happened.”

Carvalho, a junior, got nailed for stepping on or over the inside lane line for three or more consecutive steps, and therefore failed to advance to the Feb. 20 state meet.

Hardy was disappointed to learn that he wouldn’t get the rematch at states.

“I’d rather beat him fair and square than not run against him at all,” he said.

The state meet was the name of the game Saturday, as the top four finishers in each event qualified, as did those who met the advancement standards.

The Williamsport boys had a half-dozen others qualify — Collin Linton in the 55 (fifth, 6.80), Theron Palmer in the 500 (fourth, 1:10.69), Cody Bowman in the 3,200 (seventh, 10:24.54), Kevin Zeger in the 55 hurdles (sixth, 8.35) and high jump (sixth, 5-8), Jesse Zeger in the 55 hurdles (seventh, 8.37) and Nick Berchok in the pole vault (fourth, 11-4).

Williamsport only had two girls qualify, freshmen Meggan Grams and Morgan Oyster.

Grams advanced in both the 800 (fourth, 2:31.45) and 1,600 (fifth, 5:34.34), while Oyster advanced in the shot put (sixth, 31-6 3/4).

In the 1,600, her first race of the day, Grams took a big risk, sticking with Winters Mill’s national-class runner, Hannah Oneda (the eventual champ in 5:09.73), for the first 1,000 meters. And she paid the price the final 600, falling from second place to fifth.

“I was just testing it, but it turns out that I shouldn’t have done that,” said Grams, who still managed to dip under the advancement standard of 5:40.25. “I died ... but it could have been worse.”

The Liberty girls and Frederick Douglass boys won the team titles in the field of 16 schools. Williamsport tied for fourth in the boys team standings and finished 12th in the girls field.